Student Device Preferences on University Websites

Welcome to the May edition of our newsletter, where we dive into data insights collected from 400,000+ prospective students using a Study Choice Advisor when learning about a study programme.?

This month we look at the devices used when converting to a lead from a higher ed website. We compare regions, age groups, and device brand choice.

Here Are Our Top 3 Findings:

1. The Senior Audience is Equally as ‘Mobile-First’ as GenZ

Did you think that 16 year olds use their mobiles more than young professionals in their 30s? Think again! When comparing Bachelor and Executive programmes, the users have almost identical behaviour for phone vs desktop usage. The only notable difference is that the more senior mobile audience use Android to a larger extent, and their desktop browser is usually Windows rather than Mac.?

2. Admissions Page vs. Homepage

The use of mobile and desktop for website conversions can vary significantly based on users’ intentions.?

For a British university, 89% of their website leads originating from mobile devices. In contrast, a French business school sees 59% of its conversions from desktop users.

The only difference worth noting is the webpage where the traffic was converted: at the business school, conversions primarily occurred on the Admissions page, suggesting the user is further down the decision making funnel. Conversely, at the British institution, conversions occurred more frequently on the Homepage indicating that they're still in their initial research phase.

3. The iPhone Reigns Across the Globe

What about regional differences? Mobile usage, especially the iPhone, is the main actor across all three regions. Although the iPhone is big, the Mac is not quite there yet in the LATAM region amongst desktop users, as they use Windows to a larger extent than the US and EU region. Tablets are hardly used at all, anywhere.

Now, given that 50% (at least!) of your website visitors get the experience on their phones, why not check how it appears on different devices. Discover how you can view it on a range of devices from your desktop, as demonstrated by our own Robert Falkén ???

Thank you for reading! Let us know which data insights you'd like us to present next by emailing [email protected]?

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." - B.B. King

House of Education has developed the Study Choice Advisor product. This tool enhances universities and business schools recruitment and marketing efforts by aiding students in making more confident programme choices from the outset.